Age thingy, sorta

[Graeme Dice]

Shockwave is a particularly nasty spell (When combined with resist lightning) for Vanheim, since the Van air mages are quite difficult to kill in melee combat. Crones, on the other hand, should probably be hiding in the back somewhere, since they are powerful but physically weak.

[Forrest]

You might be right that it is better to sit in row 2 and hit them with lightning bolts. But as I understand it the armour is ignored and damage is direct.

I was wondering if anything could get to them. Two Air 2 mages popping off next to each other would be doing 18 points damage out to rng 6 per turn to incoming troops. It would weed the weaklings out pretty quick.

I have a 110g source of glamour A2s. If I add shamans for casting vines to slow incoming troops it seems a big monster killer. Just kinda costly to get started. Call it 500g and 20 Air gems (doubled that) just to see if it works.

Do you get to resist shock waves and if you do would a penetration item help?

[Ygorl]

Only lightning resistance helps against lightning. The same applies to physical damage spells (spells whose effect is measured in hit points) in general - whether it's lightning, fire, poison, cold, big rocks, acid, whatever... If there's a resistance to the mode of damage-inflicting, it applies, and unless the damage is armor-piercing or armor-negating armor helps also, but magic resistance is not relevant. The exceptions are things like Mind Burn, Astral Fires, or Shadow Bolt, spells that operate on a less physical level, and those spells are noted "MR Negates".

[Endoperez]

If you want to try the Shock Wave tactic, also put one Shaman with the mages and make him cast Body Ethereal and Luck (not Personal Luck, but the one with AoE 1).

[Forrest]

Thanks.

I'll try to move some from research to try it.

Endoperez, if I get some astral mages I'll try that.

[thejeff]

And make sure to cast Resist Lightning before starting the shockwaves. It's AoE often includes the caster and nearby friendlies.

Vulnerable to fast troops, a cavalry charge would likely close from out of shockwave range and attack in one round. Also to archers.